Orangeville

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Atlas ObscuraJul 17, 2026

MK Tunnels in Orangeville, Utah

By 1950 what was to become known as the Cold War was settling into place. The Soviet Union had detonated a nuclear device in the late 1940s, so the US nuclear monopoly was broken. In addition, both sides would successfully test thermonuclear weapons (a.k.a. hydrogen bombs) in the early 1950s. So the sheer destructive power of nuclear weapons, even before operational thermonuclear devices, motiv…

3 sights in this story
  • MK TunnelsSighthorizontal tunnels dug in Navajo Sandstone for nuclear tests
  • Navajo SandstoneSightthick sandstone used for nuclear explosion experiments
  • Elsewhere
  • Cheyenne Mountain Nuclear BunkerSightColorado Springs, United Statesunderground installation built after tests deemed sandstone unsuitable
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